My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

pacman1

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and my computer has turned on by itself (when I had the internet)


I can't afford the internet right now, but my computer still makes noises (the hardrive) when I'm not accessing it or even touching my keyboard or mouse??

is this a virus?

How do I get rid of it, I have to install a new operating system in english (other one is korean) so if I reformat my harddrive will it erase the virus or adware or whatever it is?

any ideas on whether it's a virus or spyware/adware??


thanks a great deal I work so much I haven't had much time to get to know computers as much as I should (this is my first computer)

any help is greatly appreciated....once I get up and running again with the new OS and on the internet again I don't want to have my hardrive accessed by remote control and whatnot


thanks

Jay
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

Computers generally don't turn on by themself. A virus? Possible, but more like someone has possibly hacked your computer, and was controlling it from somewhere else. For your computer to turn on by itself is odd, but if a network boot option is set in BIOS, it is possible for someone to turn your computer on from another location.

To answer your question, yes, formatting your computer will rid you of the possible virus/hacker- however, it has to be a clean format- don't just reinstall it over the current operating system.
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

Do a clean format and make sure you have a good firewall next time such as Zone Alarm Free.
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

Hey thanks guys for the quick response!


so check it out, bear with me here I know a little not alot...

At my last apt I was on an ethernet network with my roomates, could they have been hacking my computer? or can someone actually hack it from over the internet from anywhere??

So how does one go about hacking into my computer to gain control of it?


I'm sure it did turn on by itself because it happened more then once after I was sure I had shutdown before I went to bed, and when I got up in the night it was on (not the monitor just the computer)


I have a compaq presario 6000 with a pentium4 2.0ghz 80gig hd, running windows xp professional in KOREAN!


So here is one more question when you have a chance:


I don't know how to do a clean format because: A. never done it, and more importantly B. Everything is in Korean so I can't figure it out, although I was using the korean windows fine for the net and saving files so maybe I could figure it ou with a step by step guide or something...


My instructions for installing the english version of Windows XP Home Edition, says it will reformat my whole hardrive and I will lose everything...but does this still NOT constitute a "Clean Format"?


Thanks again for the help, any suggestions for some good books for me to read and things to install in my computer myself to better understand my computer without taking classes (don't have time right now)?
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

1.) They could have been hacking it, and yes someone can hack it from over the internet, just depends on if you had any firewall software in place, and even then, they still probably could (nothing is impervious).
2.) I'm pretty sure that even if we knew how to do that, we can't go in depth about the methodology(read the rules).
3.) I didn't think that a remote user could turn the computer on. Since for them to gain access to your computer, they have to log on to your computer, which required the ethernet card to have power or they couldn't even see you. The computer has to have power, and in order to have power a "physical" switch must be pressed, no?
4.) I can't read korean personally, but formatting the HD is about as clean a format as you're going to get. All you have to do is put in the windows xp cd rom, press any key to boot from cd, follow the on-screen directions, and you're off.
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

thanks

a couple things I'm not clear on:


#2 - when you say "remote user" you are referring to the other people in the ethernet network or to anyone who is trying to gain access over the internet?


#4 - the cds I have for the computer are the English Windows XP that HP sent me to restore the original O.S. as well as the Drivers and additional applications...so, were you saying the Windows XP Cd will allow me to do a Clean Format before I actually install the new O.S. or does it do it automatically during the installation process?


because pctechMike said that rather then over-installing the new O.S. I should do a clean format prior to that, then install the english windows xp.


thanks! sorry for the confusion.
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

ok, a remote user is any user on your computer that is not the person sitting at the desk with the computer in front of them.

Part of the windows XP installation includes formatting the HD and then creating a new partition of type NTFS for that drive. Windows will walk you through all of this.

Once you put the cd in and boot from it, a blue screen will come up, and it will load setup components for a couple minutes. After you accept the license agreement, just follow the instructions and wallah, we'll see you back here before ya know it.
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

thanks Daeva...wow your computer is alot more powerful then mine, haha.

Do you think I could run a program like Soundforge or logic on my system with additional ram I have 512mgs can add another 512, 80gig hd, pentium4 2.0ghz..and is it possible to install a second hardrive that is not connected to the internet so no viruses can get at it?


actually haha wrong forum, but a simple yes, no or maybe would suffice if you happen to know...worth a shot
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

Well, SoundForge is not a really intense program, you should be able to run it with little problem, although I would consider not using an integrated sound-card. In order to install a second hd thats not connected to the internet... well to do that you just have to unplug it when you're not using it. The easiest way would be to get an external one that connects via usb. And even then, if you plug it in with a HD that has a virus, it could still get it. Try AVG Free Edition. But yeah, any other questions about software should be put in a different forum, otherwise, why bother with different topic headlines? You'll get more responses from people who know more about soundforge and the like if you post in the software section.
 
Re: My harddrive is making noises when I'm not even touching my computer and it turns on

thanks will do!
 
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